In a world where a blog is created every second does the world really need another blog? Well, it's got one.
An irregular set of postings, weaving an intricate pattern around a diverse set of subjects. Comment on culture, technology, politics and the occasional rant about life.
Alan ... in Belfast, Northern Ireland

Friday, July 27, 2007

Torchwood: Another Life

I wanted to read three books while off on holiday this year. Managed about two and a half. I’ll come back to Jim and Casper Go to Church in a later post. (Though in the meantime, a big thank you to Ally for the tip-off.)

Amongst more serious tomes, the escapism book—that will confirm to regular AiB readers that I’m a (literary) lost cause—was one of the Torchwood novels, a spinoff from the TV spinoff from Doctor Who. I’d picked it up in the BBC Shop in Belfast before it closed in the Spring.

Based in a severely flooded Cardiff, the story echoes the inclement weather being experienced around the UK recently! Despite the tiny font size, Torchwood: Another Life (written by Peter Anghelides) was an original story and a remarkably good read, building on the familiar characters and locations. It could have done with some stronger editing to take out a couple of unfortunately repeated details and phrases, and to fix the two spulling miztakes I noticed as I breezed through.

As the third Doctor Who series ended and companion Martha Jones (played by Freema Agyeman) stepped out of the Tardis for a half-season break to allow Catherine Tate a reprise of her Runaway Bride character, it was announced that Martha will be popping up in the next series of Torchwood which will noq definitely not be aired until early 2008. However, it will be shown first on BBC Two, unlike the first series which was run on BBC Three.

If you’re a Whovian, or just a fan of sci-fi fiction, check out the Torchwood books. They’re as good as many of the more recent Doctor Who novels - the sci-fi equivalent of Mills and Boon!